First Marriage Then Love 2

Chapter 1: Cooperative Relationship / Partnership

 

 

– April 05, 2021

While looking at the man standing in front of her, Lin Li felt a little weak, and even felt that the Cheng Xiang in front of her was less and less like the appearance she had first met in the past.
When did he learn to stalk, and when did he lose his original indifference.

She tightened the bag that she was holding, stepped forward, and then walked past him indifferently and expressionlessly, just like a stranger, without turning her head to look at him much.

Her hand was suddenly grasped, and Lin Li was forced to stop.
She still didn't look back, and just said coldly, “Let go.” The voice didn't carry any temperature.

“Lin Li, give me another chance, I was wrong, I really know I was wrong now!” Cheng Xiang looked at her with a pleading voice, “The one I love is you, I was not sure before, but I really love you, give me another chance, okay?”

He always thought that Xiaoxiao was the person who was hidden in the deepest part of his heart, and no one could replace her (Xiaoxiao) in this life.
But when he lost her (Lin Li), he then realized that for the past ten years, Lin Li had slowly seeped into his heart, replacing Xiaoxiao's position.
It turned out that he had fallen in love with her a long time ago, but he himself had not noticed it.

“Hehe,” Lin Li smiled, laughing very cold, the expression on her face was similar to her laugh, it was almost no temperature.
Turning her head to look at him, she pulled her lips and spoke slowly, “If time could return back, I would have loved you again.”

Cheng Xiang's face stiffened, he opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.
He still held her hand tightly, not wanting to let go.
Lin Li looked at him and asked, “Do you think time can go back again?”

“Lin Li…” Cheng Xiang called her with a painful expression.

Lin Li shook her head and said, “It can't go back; just like the day you ran away from the wedding, we can't go back.
Can't return back to the time the child disappeared from my stomach.
Can't return back to who I was 10 years ago, the me who loved you unconditionally.” Although Lin Li's expression was very cold, it was hard to hide the pain in her heart.
Her eyes were red with moist mist. 

“Lin Li, I really—” Cheng Xiang was anxious to explain what he wanted to guarantee, but Lin Li didn't give him a chance.
Lin Li raised her hand and interrupted him, “It's too late to say anything.”

She closed her eyes, stretched out her hand and pulled his gripped away, and turned to leave, but happened to meet Zhou Han's slightly probing eyes.

She felt a little startled, she didn't know when he had walked in front of her.
She clearly remembered that when she went out, he was still having breakfast while reading the newspaper at home.
She was taken aback for a moment, and then she nodded at him faintly, walked past him, and entered the company door.

Cheng Xiang wanted to catch up, but he stopped dejectedly.
He knew that he had hurt Lin Li too deeply.

Zhou Han stared at Cheng Xiang blankly for a while, frowning slightly, and finally turned his head and entered the company without saying anything.

 

When Zhou Han came up while holding onto his briefcase, Lin Li was already seated in the position of the secretary to the president at the door of his office.
The computer was already turned on.
At this moment, she was checking Zhou Han’s schedule for today to see if there was anything important that need to be prepared in advance. 

In fact, Lin Li has not fully adapted to her current job as the President's Secretary.
Originally, she was doing sales, but after she signed the marriage certificate with Zhou Han half a month ago, Zhou Han directly transferred her up to be his secretary.
His former Secretary Li took a few days to hand over the work at hand to her (Lin Li) and officially started her (Secretary Li) half-year maternity leave two days ago. 

Zhou Han stood upright and carried a briefcase towards his office, but when he passed Lin Li's desk, he stopped and said: “Enter my office, I have something to talk to you.” after speaking, he walked directly into his office. 

Lin Li let go of the mouse, took a deep breath, adjusted the emotions that had just been disrupted by Cheng Xiang.
She then pushed aside the chair and stood up directly, following his footsteps, and went straight into his office.
The door was not closed, because there were only two of them on this floor, and most people wouldn't come up if they have no issues.

Zhou Han put aside the briefcase in his hand, took a look at her, then sat on his leather black swivel chair.
He turned on the computer, and while turning on the computer, he took out the materials that he brought back last night from the briefcase; carefully sorting and checking them out.

Lin Li has been waiting for him to speak, to give orders, or to say why she was asked to come in.

Zhou Han re-scanned the work he took back last night, and then sorted them out.
After taking the unprocessed documents on the table again, his face began to look serious, but he seemed to not plan on saying anything.

After standing like this for nearly 10 minutes, Lin Li felt a sense of being tricked.
She stared at him, and said, “President, may I ask for what reason did you ask me to come in?” Is it asking her to come in and stand in military posture in front of him? He can't be such a bully right!

Hearing this, Zhou Han put down the file in his hand, looked up at her, and said faintly, “I thought you would have something to tell me.” 

“I have something to tell you?” Lin Li looked at him suspiciously, wondering when she gave him such a misunderstanding!

Zhou Han placed both palms together in triangle shape in front of his chest and leaned back on his chair.
He said, “Don't you think it is necessary to explain what happened at the front door just now?”

Lin Li then realized.
It turned out that he was talking about what happened to her and Cheng Xiang at the door just now. 

After looking at him, she pulled the chair in front of him and sat down.
She stood in high heels for ten minutes.
Her feet hurt when she stood.
It was not about work, so there was no need to be polite to him.
After all, their relationship was only a partnership, and the relationship should be equal.
There is no such a saying that his status is higher than herself!

Seeing her sitting down in front of him, Zhou Han raised his eyebrows and didn't say much.
The indifferent expression on his face was still his most common expression.

Lin Li raised her chin slightly, looked at him and asked, “What do you think I should explain to you?”

The originally raised eyebrows wrinkled calmly, and after a while, he spoke coldly: “I just want you to remember your current identity.
In addition to your original identity, don't forget that you are Mrs.
Zhou! I don't want to see any news about you in the newspaper, especially 'that kind of news' about you!” He dislike if his marriage was reported in the newspaper again.
It did not feel good!

The feeling of being questioned in this way is not very good.
Looking back at his gaze, Lin Li asked him back: “I still keep the contract, and as a matter of fact, I just re-read it last night.
I remember there is a clause not to interfere with the other party's personal issues.
We are just in a cooperative relationship.
Now you are asking me like this, have you not overstepped it?”

“I just want you to take care of your personal problems, and don't let your personal problems to involve me at that time.” Zhou Han said coldly, “I hate being asked those boring questions.”

Lin Li shrugged indifferently then stood up, and when she turned around to go out, she suddenly remembered that when she picked up Xiaobin last night, their teacher said that there will be a sports meeting in the kindergarten this Friday afternoon.
She hoped the parents can come to the kindergarten to participate together with their children. 

Turning around again, she said: “By the way, there is a sports meeting in Xiaobin's kindergarten on Friday.
The teacher said that parents must participate.
Do you need to re-arrange Friday schedule?”

“I'm not free,” Zhou Han said in a daze.
He sat up again, reached out and took the half-read information on the table, took a pen, and made markings while reading.

Lin Li frowned.
In the past half month, she has seen his attitude towards the child very clearly.
Although they're father and son, there is no intimacy between father and son.
Not feeling a little bit of care towards the child, she felt distressed on behalf of the kid, and said emphatically: “Teacher said that parents must be present!”

Is the company's affairs more important than his own son's affairs? Even if the child's mother had done some harm to him before, that child is his child after all.
How can blood relationship be so ruthless!

Zhou Han didn't want to talk about this topic, and just said: “Then you can go for me.”

“I'm not his mother.
You are his father!” Lin Li stared at him.
This man was too indifferent, even to his own son! Not just being not caring, she even felt a little disgusting indifference from him.

Hearing that, Zhou Han smiled, with the corners of his mouth half tilted, and then looked up at Lin Li, and said with a playful smile: “But you are my wife now.” 

“I—” Lin Li was speechless, as she was watching him she was not able to squeeze out any word.
Whether it was according to the contract they had signed before, or according to the two red books they had taken from the Civil Affairs Bureau half a month ago, there is no doubt she is indeed Mrs.
Zhou!

Zhou Han looked at her and continued with a smile but not a smile: “We are in a cooperative relationship, so this is what you should do within the scope of work.”

Lin Li looked at him angrily, and said in a small voice: “Is Xiaobin really your son? You are too cold!” She moved to his apartment for almost half a month already.
If she hadn’t known that they were father and son, she would have thought they don't share any relationship at all.
His treatment to the child was no different towards strangers!

Hearing this, Zhou Han's whole body stiffened, and the smile on his face that seemed to be not smiling disappeared in an instant.
The pressure of his hands almost break the pen, and his voice dropped cold to tens of degrees below zero.
“Get out!”

Lin Li naturally felt the change in his attitude.
Although she didn't know why, she didn't ask anything more.
She turned around and closed the door behind her.
Just the moment she closed the door, she suddenly heard a 'BANG–' sound from inside.
It sounded like a hand was hitting the desk hard. 

The whole body was shocked; a little frightened, she turned her head subconsciously, looking at the tightly closed door.
Lin Li had some doubts whether she had said something wrong just now.